Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an improved medicinal herb or tobacco smoking device making use of thermoelectric technology to increase performance over thermally passive systems, provides built-in self-cleaning properties, and utilizes easy to use electrical arrangement.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention broadly relates to the field of medicinal herbs and tobacco-related inhalation devices. Particularly, the present invention improves the quality and comfort of use by actively controlling smoke or vapors temperature.

2. Description of Prior Art

The use of water pipe for the consumption of medicinal herbs and tobacco was introduced in ancient time originating in Asia. The premise of these devices is to make use of a fluid, often water, as a mean to cool, filter, and moisten the smoke or vapors to reduce the harshness of such smoke or vapors. In modern times various inventions provide for various means of achieving such functions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,353 to Kahler (1977); U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,109 to Kahler (1977) for example describe inventions making use of serpentine or pluralities of liquid passageways to improve on the device ability to cool vapors of smoke. U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,950 to Bechtold (1979) describes the use of a solid-phase medium to achieve the cooling mean. Other prior arts, such as the invention in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,031 to Clark (1999) disclose a mean for easier maintenance of such apparatus, and prior art U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,007 to Balch (2008) discloses an alternative mean to generate smoke or vapors.

It is a common limitation of the prior inventions to make use of the passive thermal exchange occurring between the smoke or vapors and the cooling media via various heat exchanger configurations. Practicality of use and manufacturing constraints of those devices in this field of use limits the extent to which the system's efficiency can be expanded. More particularly, high-efficiency ratio heat exchangers quickly reach size, technological advancements unpractical to this field of use. Other prior arts making use of solid-phase cooling medium, such as water-ice, does help increase the cooling capacity of such devices, but has the disadvantage of requiring user to plan for, and have access to such medium. A natural side effect of making use of such devices is their tendency to accumulate debris, as a result of the by-product of consuming tobacco or medicinal herbs, maintaining cleanness of such device, and therefore their ability to perform is an issue, some prior art do partially improve of this effect by allowing easier disassembly of the device for cleaning. Other prior art use a heat-based mean to generate smoke or vapors instead of flamed-based to alleviate such effect but not eliminate it and do not necessarily provide any cooling mean.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

With the prior art cited in this disclosure in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to alleviate or partially alleviate the disadvantages of the prior inventions by providing a novel mean to actively rather than passively affect the temperature of smoke or vapors in the field of devices for use with tobacco consumption and/or medicinal herbs.

It is another important aspect of the present invention to make use of phase-changing property of the cooling medium to induce a self-cleaning behavior of the device.

Other novel features and novel objects of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing a general external view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the invention, showing an external view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side section view of the invention, showing the inner details of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side partial section view of the invention, to detail the inner workings of the active cooling mean.

FIG. 5 a is a perspective view of the invention, illustrating a specific function of the present invention.

FIG. 5 b is a perspective view of the invention, further illustrating a specific function of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention, detailing a specific function of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention, further explaining a specific function of the present invention.

REFERENCED NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

-   10 Invention -   12 Water Cooling Tower -   14 Receptacle -   20 Thermoelectric Engine Assembly -   40 Power Base -   16 Medium/Media -   17 Water Level -   22 Cooling Rod -   24 Thermoelectric Chip -   26 Heat Sink -   28 Fan -   30 Water-proofing Seal -   31 Water Cooling Tower Insulator -   32 Thermoelectric Engine Insulator -   33 Upper Enclosure -   34 Lower Enclosure -   35 and 36 Electrical Rings -   42 and 44 Spring Electrical Contacts -   46 Electrical Plug

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides the mean to actively change the temperature of vapors or smoke for human inhalation using thermoelectric technology. Turning to FIG. 1 there is shown a perspective view of the present invention 10. The present invention's function is to change the temperature of vapors or smoke prior to inhalation as to enhance said vapors or smoke effectiveness or comfort.

Now turning to FIG. 2 there is shown a plan side view of the invention with its main components identified. The invention principally consists of a Water Cooling Tower 12, a Receptacle 14, a Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20, and a Power Base 40. Media to be gasified or vaporized is placed onto Receptacle 14. In an example typical application, the media is gasified or vaporized by means of an open flame, where such process most commonly releases the gasified or vaporized media at elevated temperatures higher than that of common surrounding ambient air. Said gasified and vaporized media is channeled and delivered to the user by way of Water Cooling Tower 12. Typically, Water Cooling Tower 12 consists of a generally tubular shape, made of temperature resistant materials such as non-flammable plastics or borosilicate glass. Mean to actively change the temperature of said gasified or vaporized Media is provided by Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 where said Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 draws electrical power from Power Base 40.

Principally, the present Invention utilizes thermoelectric technology to affect the temperature of vapors or smoke.

Now Turning to FIG. 3 there is shown a plan section view of present Invention 10. Media 16 to be gasified or vaporized is placed into Receptacle 14. Using an external source of heat Media 16 is gasified or vaporized. By applying Suction Action at top section of Water Cooling Tower 12, gas or vapors are drawn down the Receptacle's 14 tubular section, submerged and mix with water present at the lower section of Water Cooling Tower 12 and finally exit at the top of the device. Water Level in FIG. 3 is represented by Line 17, for illustrative purpose. General movement of vapors or gas is indicated by the directional black arrows shown on drawing.

As gas or vapors travel down Receptacle 14 and enter the bottom section of Water Cooling Tower 12, said gas or vapors become submerged in water. Said water temperature is actively changed by the Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20. In a typical application, water is cooled by Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 to temperatures near water's freezing point. Gas or vapors are rapidly cooled by the water as they mix, delivering gas or vapors at much lower temperatures when they exit the system then without the aid of such device. Water is a very effective thermal transfer element, having a heat capacity of 4.18 joules per gram-Centigrade (j/g-c).

Now Turning to FIG. 4 there is shown a plan section Partial View of the present invention. The focus of FIG. 4 is to describe the workings of Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20. Receptacle 14 and Water Cooling Tower 12 are partially shown. Gas or Vapors are cooled when they come in contact with the water. Water in turn is cooled to near freezing temperature as it remains in contact with Cooling Rod 22. Cooling Rod 22 is generally made of metallic element that exhibit good to excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. Said Cooling Rod 22 in turn is cooled by a typical industry standard Thermoelectric Chip 24. Heat extracted from the water, conducted through Cooling Rod 22, actively transferred by Thermoelectric Chip 24, is absorbed via thermal conduction by Heat Sink 26. Similar to Cooling Rod 22, Heat sink 26 is generally made of aluminum or copper. Lastly, captured and conducted heat is finally expelled from the system where Heat sink 26 release its heat via convection at its finned area, and is expelled to the surrounding ambient air aided by air circulating Fan 28. Additional necessary components are part of Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20, to make the invention practical for use and realistically functioning and comprises a Water-proofing Seal 30 that prevents water from leaking out of Water Cooling Tower 12; a Water Cooling Tower Insulator 31 that thermally insulates Water Cooling Tower 12; a Thermoelectric Engine Insulator 32 that thermally insulates Cooling Rod 22 and Thermoelectric Chip 24. Thermal insulators, while not absolute necessity to achieve cooling function, are instrumental to achieve notable performance in case of elevated ambient air temperatures. The various components comprised in Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20, are housed in Upper enclosure 33 and Lower Enclosure 34. Said enclosures can be made of various structurally supporting materials such as polypropylene plastics, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or sheet metals. Small, commonly used and miscellaneous hardware such as screws, washers, nuts, are not detailed here but expected to be present in the invention.

Another important aspect of the present invention is its ability to build up and accumulate water in the form of ice on the surface of Cooling Rod 22 further increasing the performance of the heat exchange setup as ice has 100 times the heat-calorie absorbency versus liquid water. This unique configuration allows the device to cool vapors or smoke via both means of liquid water, and keeping said water at very near freezing temperature, even during active use, by the constant exposure to an ice layer built upon Cooling Rod 22, and where said ice layer continues to build upon itself so long the device is energized.

The invention's ability to build up an ice layer, also provides for another beneficial aspect of the present invention. Said ice layer provides a natural physical barrier between Cooling Rod 22 and debris resulting from the vaporization or burning of tobacco or herbal medicine media. Debris accumulation onto surfaces meant to cool vapors and smoke has always been a major shortcoming of this type of devices, some inventions even provide for easy access to internal parts for easier cleaning, but do not incorporate built-in means to alleviate of prevent such accumulation, the present invention remedies this issue by tackling the root cause of the effect, while still allowing for easy access to critical components where the bond between Water-proofing Seal 30 and Water Cooling Tower 12 is a non-permanent, user detachable interface, allowing user to remove Water Cooling Tower 12 and directly access Cooling Rod 22.

Now turning to FIG. 5 a and FIG. 5 b there is shown an important feature of the present Invention. Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 while comprising all the required components to realize a functioning thermoelectric engine, draws its electrical power from said Power Base 40. The novelty in this field of invention is where the electrical bond between those two assemblies neither permanent nor at a fixed orientation. FIG. 5 a demonstrates the ability of Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 to be detached from Power Base 40. FIG. 5 b shows when Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 is installed onto Power Base 40. The directional arrows in FIG. 5 b show Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20, able to rotate freely 360 degrees around the Power Base 40. This configuration enables the system to continuously cool vapors or smoke while not in active use by a user, and when ready for use, user simply picks up Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 off its Power Base 40. While off said Power Base, said Thermoelectric Engine Assembly becomes unpowered. The ability to freely rotate 360 degrees allow for “blind insertion” when mating the these two assemblies, “blind insertion” here being commonly referred in technical lingo as a system where the user does not need to mate two parts together at a specific angle or orientation, rendering the whole device more intuitive and easier to use. Turning to FIG. 6 details the electrical interface between Thermoelectric Engine Assembly 20 and Power Base 40. Electrical Rings 35 and 36 capture electricity from Power Base, rings are generally made of electrically conducting material, such as copper. FIG. 7 respectively shows the matching electrical connections of Power Base 40, where Spring Electrical Contacts 42 and 44 will make electrical contacts with Electrical Rings 35 and 36. External power connects to Power Base 40 via Electrical Plug 46. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower comprising: a water cooling tower for storing water therein; a receptacle for holding media to be vaporized or smoked; a thermoelectric engine assembly to cool or heat said water in said water cooling tower; a power base to electrically power said thermoelectric engine assembly.
 2. A Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said media vapors or smoke are drawn to said water cooling tower by way of externally applied depressurization at the top area of said water cooling tower and where said vapors or smoke are cooled or heated as they mix with said water.
 3. A Thermoelectric Water cooling Tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thermoelectric engine assembly comprises a thermally conductive metallic rod, a thermoelectric chip, a metallic thermal exchanger, and an air circulating fan and where said thermoelectric chip is sandwiched between said thermally conductive metallic rod and said metallic thermal exchanger and where said thermally conductive metallic rod is at the bottom section of said water cooling tower and submerged in said water and affects the temperature of said water; further configured where said metallic thermal exchanger is ventilated by said air circulating fan.
 4. A Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower as claimed in claims 1 and 3, wherein said water cooling tower is fluid-sealed from said thermoelectric engine assembly by way of a seal compressed between said thermally conductive metallic rod and said water cooling tower and where said thermoelectric engine assembly is thermally insulated by way of thermally non-conductive materials and where said thermally non-conductive materials insulate said thermally conductive rod and said thermoelectric chip.
 5. A thermoelectric water cooling Tower as claimed in claim 1 wherein said water cooling tower, receptacle, and thermoelectric engine assembly are mated together in an external enclosure and where said external enclosure is equipped at its bottom external face with 2 electrically conductive rings where one ring carries positive side electrical current and alternatively the other carries negative side electrical current.
 6. A thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower as claimed in claim 1 where said power base comprises an nesting enclosure generally configure to provide structurally balanced and stable support, a non-slip resting surface, an electrical power receptacle and a pair of spring-loaded electrical contacts wherein said electrical power receptacle allows to connect Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower to external power, wherein said spring-loaded electrical contacts are electrically connected to said electrical power receptacle respectively establishing positive side and negative side electrical current connections and where said non-slip resting surface is non-permanently friction fitted to bottom edge of said power base.
 7. A thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower as claimed in claims 5 and 6 where said external enclosure nests onto said nesting enclosure and form a free vertical axis rotating interface and when said external enclosure is nested with said nesting enclosure said electrically conductive rings establish electrical connection with said spring-loaded electrical contacts and where said electrical connection remains at any angle of rotation of the free vertical axis rotating interface.
 8. A Thermoelectric Water Cooling Tower as claimed in claim 3, where thermally conductive metallic rod enables the build-up of protective and performance-increasing layer of water-ice onto its surface. 